A SEMI-FINAL trip to Harlequins is Newcastle Falcons’ reward for yesterday’s LV Cup victory over Exeter Chiefs as they rallied late on to conquer their Devon visitors.

A drab and uneventful Anglo-Welsh clash finally came to life in the last 10 minutes as tries from Alex Tait and Luke Eves secured the Falcons’ first victory in over a month.

The convoluted and much-criticised format of the competition meant in the end the result at Kingston Park did not matter, with second-placed London Wasps losing at Ospreys.

However, the manner in which the Falcons rallied to bag the victory served as a timely fillip going into the return of league action as they visit London Irish on Saturday.

Torrential rain and a muddy surface dictated this was never going to be a feast of running rugby.

So it proved, with the first points of the match coming with the very last kick of the opening half.

Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson was the man to inflict the damage as his penalty punished Tim Swinson’s unnecessary handling in a midfield ruck.

However, even at 3-0 down, Newcastle always looked the more likely victors.

Camping themselves in the Exeter half for much of the opening 40, the triple line-out threat of James Hudson, Andrew van der Heijden and Swinson kept the visitors guessing, while there was a similarly energetic display in the scrum.

Van der Heijden, in particular, looked the part in his first start as a Falcon, with the Kiwi lock hitting the ruck hard and carrying the ball with menace in the loose.

Exeter offered little more than their well-advertised forward grunt, with their big runners hitting round the corner, but the visitors never seriously threatened the Newcastle line as Tane Tu’ipulotu led a stoic defensive effort.

Still 3-0 down after an hour, however, despite their growing dominance, Newcastle looked to their bench for the desired impact.

They got it in spades, with scrum-half Hall Charlton the key instigator in his 200th game for the club.

The veteran may lack the lightning acceleration of the more youthful Micky Young, but more than made up for it with his tactical kicking and marshalling of his forward pack.

That served as the catalyst for Newcastle to click into gear and, with Gopperth slotting over a penalty from the left touchline on 69 minutes, it was all-square going into the final throes.

Fitness proved to be key, and with Exeter’s big forwards heavy-legged for the remainder the more energetic Newcastle pack made their dynamism tell.

First came Tait’s try, with the converted winger switching from his usual full-back spot to round off a period of patient phase play from his forwards in the shadow of the South Stand posts.

Gopperth added the extras, and with two minutes to go the result was put beyond all doubt as Tait and Eves combined for an 80-metre counter-attack down the left hand side.

A neat exchange of passes eventually saw Eves put away in the clear, and the Bristolian showed his fair turn of pace in finishing off the move.

Gopperth’s conversion rounded off the scoring, on a day when new life was breathed into Newcastle’s turbulent season.